Biologically degradable compositions

ABSTRACT

A process for making a biodegradable composition involving: (a) providing from about 20 to 80% by weight of C 8-22  fatty alcohol; (b) providing from about 20 to 80% by weight of a ring opening product of a C 8-18  1,2-epoxyalkane with ethylene glycol; (c) combining (a) and (b) to form a reaction mixture; and (d) reacting the reaction mixture with ethylene oxide, with the proviso that the ethylene oxide is used in an amount of from about 5 to 100 mol ethylene oxide per mol of free OH groups present in the reaction mixture.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to readily biodegradable and toxicologically safecompositions. The compositions according to the invention are obtainableby subjecting mixtures of C₈₋₂₂ fatty alcohols and ring opening productsemanating from the reaction of C₈₋₁₈ 1,2-epoxyalkanes with ethyleneglycol to ethoxylation.

PRIOR ART

DE 28 29 697 C2 describes liquid detergent compositions of additionproducts of ethylene oxide onto fatty alcohols and addition products ofethylene oxide onto internal vicinal alkanediols which do not gel onaddition of water.

DE 40 06 391 A1 describes pourable liquid surfactant concentrates ofnonionic surfactants and their use as emulsifiers in emulsionpolymerization. These known surfactant concentrates contain on the onehand addition products of ethylene oxide onto primary alcohols and, onthe other hand, reaction products of 5 to 25 mol ethylene oxide with 1mol aliphatic vicinal terminal diols.

DE 197 31 880 A1 also describes pourable liquid surfactant concentratesof nonionic surfactants and their use as emulsifiers in emulsionpolymerization. These surfactant concentrates are similar in theircomposition to those known from the above-cited DE 40 06 391 except thatthe second component (reaction product of ethylene oxide with aliphaticvicinal terminal diols) has a higher degree of ethoxylation (30 to 50).

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The problem addressed by the present invention was to provide surfactantcompositions which would be suitable on their own or in combination withother surfactants as emulsifiers for emulsion polymerization. Thesecompounds would be able to be applied in the form of pourable liquidsurfactant concentrates. When used as emulsifiers for emulsionpolymerization, their effect would be in particular to minimizecoagulation.

An important aspect of the problem stated above was that thecompositions should be toxicologically safe. “Toxicologically safe” inthe context of the invention is understood to mean that the aquatictoxicity as measured to DIN 38412, Part 9 (LC/EC 50 value) is above 1mg/l and that the toxicity as measured by OECD Method 423 (LD 50 value)is above 2,000 mg/kg.

The ready biodegradability and toxicological safeness would not beachieved at the expense of the performance properties.

Another problem addressed by the present invention was to providecompositions which, when used as emulsifiers in emulsion polymerization,would lead to polymer dispersions (aqueous latices) with highfreeze/thaw stability.

A further problem addressed by the present invention was to providecompositions which, when used as emulsifiers in emulsion polymerization,would lead to polymer dispersions (aqueous latices) with highelectrolyte stability.

The present invention relates to biodegradable compositions obtainableby reacting a mixture of

-   -   a) 20 to 80% by weight of one or more C₈₋₂₂ fatty alcohols and    -   b) 20 to 80% by weight of one or more ring opening products of        C₈₋₁₈ 1,2-epoxyalkanes with ethylene glycol,    -   with ethylene oxide, with the proviso that the ethylene oxide is        used in a quantity of 5 to 100 mol per mol of free OH groups        present in the sum total of compounds a) and b) used.

The following observations apply to the two classes of compounds used(together) in the ethoxylation reaction:

-   -   C₈₋₂₂ fatty alcohols are known to the expert. They may be used        individually or in combination. Substantially saturated and        unsaturated fatty alcohols, i.e. fatty alcohols with an iodine        value below 60, are preferred. The following fatty alcohols are        most particularly preferred: lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol,        cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol and oleyl alcohol.    -   Ring opening products of C₈₋₁₈ 1,2-epoxyalkanes with ethylene        glycol are readily obtainable by subjecting the desired        epoxyalkanes to an oxirane ring opening reaction

The (co-) ethoxylation of the two classes of compounds mentioned iscarried out at elevated temperature and pressure in the presence ofsuitable alkoxylation catalysts. The choice of the alkoxylation catalystinfluences the breadth of the range of addition products, the so-calledhomolog distribution, of the ethylene oxide onto the alcohol. Thus, inthe presence of the catalytically active alkali metal alcoholates, suchas sodium ethylate, addition products with a broad homolog distributionare obtained whereas, in the presence of hydrotalcite, for example, ascatalyst, an extremely narrow homolog distribution is obtained(so-called narrow-range products).

It has surprisingly been found that the compositions according to theinvention have better biodegradability than compositions obtained bymixing

-   -   ethoxylates of C₈₋₂₂ fatty alcohols with ethoxylates of ring        opening products of C₈₋₁₈ 1,2-epoxyalkanes with    -   ethylene glycol.

It is therefore clear that the compositions according to the inventionmust be different from the compositions just mentioned. In other words,the compositions according to the invention, which are obtainable in asingle step by ethoxylation of a mixture of raw materials belonging totwo classes, are distinguished by significantly better biodegradabilitythan compositions where the two classes of raw materials are ethoxylatedseparately from one another, which does of course involve two processes,and the ethoxylates are subsequently mixed together. It has also beenfound that the compositions according to the invention are alsodistinguished by favorable toxicological values.

It has also surprisingly been found that aqueous latices based on thecompositions according to the invention have better freeze/thawstabilities and better electrolyte stabilities than compositionsobtained by mixing

-   -   ethoxylates of C₈₋₂₂ fatty alcohols with ethoxylates of ring        opening products of C₈₋₁₈ 1,2-epoxyalkanes with    -   ethylene glycol.

It has also been found that plastic films produced from aqueous laticesbased on the compositions according to the invention have betterblocking resistances than plastic films produced from aqueous laticesbased on compositions obtained by mixing

-   -   ethoxylates of C₈₋₂₂ fatty alcohols with ethoxylates of ring        opening products of C₈₋₁₈ 1,2-epoxyalkanes with    -   ethylene glycol.

It is pointed out that, although DE-A 40 06 391 refers to thepossibility of carrying out the ethoxylation in a single reaction step(cf. page 3, lines 22-25), this is nothing more to the expert than areference to this particular method of production. DE-A 40 06 391remains silent about other useful properties of the compositions thusobtainable. In particular, it does not refer to any effect theproduction process might have on the biodegradability and toxicologicalproperties of the products.

In addition, DE-A 40 06 391 says nothing about improving the freeze/thawstability of aqueous polymer dispersions obtainable using thecompositions according to the invention. It has equally little to sayabout the electrolyte stability of aqueous polymer dispersionsobtainable using the compositions according to the invention or aboutthe suitability of the compositions according to the invention for theproduction of non-blocking plastic films.

The compositions according to the invention may be used as soleemulsifiers (primary emulsifiers) in emulsion polymerization. However,the compositions according to the invention may also be used togetherwith anionic, (other) nonionic or cationic emulsifiers.

The emulsifier compositions according to the invention are preferablyemployed in the form of surfactant concentrates in emulsionpolymerization and are used in a quantity of 0.5 to 10% by weight,preferably in a quantity of 1 to 5% by weight and more particularly in aquantity of 1 to 3% by weight, expressed as surfactant concentrate andbased on the polymerization mixture.

The present invention also relates to a pourable liquid surfactantconcentrate, characterized by a content of 50 to 90% by weight of theabove-mentioned compositions according to the invention and 10 to 50% byweight of water.

The pourable liquid surfactant concentrates consist of surfactantmixture and water. The surfactant mixture is present in the surfactantconcentrate according to the invention in quantities of 50 to 90% byweight and preferably in quantities of 60 to 90% by weight, based on thesurfactant concentrate as a whole.

The surfactant concentrates according to the invention are liquid andpourable over broad temperature ranges. More particularly, thesurfactant concentrates are liquid and pourable at 20° C. The lowerlimit of the temperature range in which the surfactant concentratesaccording to the invention are still liquid and pourable varies withtheir composition. In principle, the surfactant concentrates accordingto the invention are pourable above their solidification points andpreferably about 3° C. above their solidification points. The surfactantconcentrates according to the invention have Höppler viscosities at 20°C. (DIN 53015) in the range from 0.1 to 3 Pas.

The compositions according to the invention are generally suitable foruse as emulsifiers in the production of aqueous latices, i.e. aqueousemulsions or dispersions of polymers and/or copolymers which arenormally obtainable by emulsion polymerization. Basically, there are noparticular limitations to the nature of the polymers and copolymers inthese aqueous latices. However, polymers and copolymers based on thefollowing monomers are particularly preferred: acrylic acid, acrylates,butadiene, methacrylic acid, methacrylates, styrene, vinyl acetate andvinyl versatate.

The compositions according to the invention provide aqueous laticeswith, in particular, excellent freeze/thaw stability and electrolytestability. Another effect of the compositions according to the inventionis that plastic films produced from these latices are distinguished byhigh blocking resistance.

The present invention also relates to the use of the compositionsaccording to the invention for the production of aqueous latices havingimproved freeze/thaw stability. Freeze/thaw stability is a parameterknown to the relevant expert. The principle of determining freeze/thawstability can be found in ISO 1147. According to ISO 1147, thefreeze/thaw stability of aqueous latices is determined by coolingaqueous latices to −10° C. and keeping them at that temperature for 16hours. The latices are then heated to room temperature (ca. +20° C.) andkept at that temperature for 8 hours. The latices are then checked forcoagulation. In the absence of coagulation, i.e. if the latex dispersionis stable to coagulation, the described cycle (cooling and thawing) isrepeated and the latex is re-checked for coagulation. Thisfreezing/thawing cycle is repeated until either coagulation is observedor a maximum of 5 cycles without coagulation is reached.

According to the present invention, the freeze/thaw stability isdetermined by the method known from ISO 1147 except that the freezingphases of the cycles are carried out at −25° (and not at −10° C.). Theseare tougher conditions than those specified in ISO 1147. The aqueouslatices are preferably used in quantities of 50 to 100 g for thedetermination of their freeze/thaw stability.

The present invention also relates to the use of the compositionsaccording to the invention for the production of aqueous latices havingimproved electrolyte stability. “Electrolyte stability” in the contextof the present invention is understood to mean that a polymer dispersiondoes not coagulate on the addition of 1% by weight or 10% by weightaqueous solutions of inorganic salts of trivalent cations (for exampleAl₂(SO₄)₃) in a ratio by volume of 50:50 (polymer dispersions:saltsolution). By coagulation is meant the agglomeration of inadequatelystabilized latex particles into coagulate. Coagulation is visuallyevaluated.

The present invention also relates to a process for the production ofplastic films having improved blocking resistance, aqueous latices beingspread out in a thin layer and then dried in the usual manner,characterized in that aqueous latices produced using the compositionsclaimed in claim 1 as emulsifiers are used, these compositions beingobtainable by reacting a mixture of

-   -   a) 20 to 80% by weight of one or more C₈₋₂₂ fatty alcohols and    -   b) 20 to 80% by weight of one or more ring opening products of        C₈₋₁₈ 1,2-epoxyalkanes with ethylene glycol,        with ethylene oxide, with the proviso that the ethylene oxide is        used in a quantity of 5 to 100 mol per mol of free OH groups        present in the sum total of compounds a) and b) used.

“Blocking resistance” in the context of the invention means that driedplastic films or coatings have no tendency to “stick” on exposure topressure and/or heat. This is of particular importance for applicationsin the field of paint, textile, paper and leather coatings.

Blocking resistance is determined by the following method. Using acoating knife, a 200 μm wet film is drawn without bubbles onto a PVCfilm. The films are dried in air for 48 hours. To test blockingresistance, a piece of filter paper cut in a 36×36 mm square (Schleicher& Schuell filter paper, Ref. No. 10312209 or 300009) is placed betweentwo correspondingly large plastic-coated PVC films (36×36 mm) so thatthe coatings are in contact with the filter paper. This arrangement issubjected to a load of 38 mN/mm² for 1 minute. Before the test, thefilter paper, the metal weight and the polymer film are heated in anoven for 30 minutes at 50° C. After the contact time of 1 minute, thefilter paper is removed from the polymer film and the filter residuesremaining on the polymer film are determined as the soiled area in %,i.e. the percentage surface area of the plastic-coated PVC film which iscovered by residues of paper filter is determined.

The production of plastic films from aqueous latices is carried out inknown manner. To this end, aqueous latices are spread out in a thinlayer which is then dried. The layer is normally spread out on a hardsurface, for example by knife coating. Layer thicknesses of 100 to 2,000μm are typically adjusted. Apart from knife coating, the layer may alsobe applied by other typical methods, for example by spray coating,spread coating and dip coating.

In one embodiment, additives of the type normally used for coatingpurposes, for example inorganic and organic pigments, fillers, such ascarbonates, silicon dioxide, silicas, silicates and sulfates, are addedto the aqueous latices before they are spread over the substrate.

The present invention also relates to the use of the compositionsaccording to the invention for the production of non-blocking plasticfilms. For the purposes of this use, aqueous latices are first preparedby emulsion polymerization using the compositions according to theinvention, the aqueous latices thus prepared are spread in a thin layerover the substrate and are then dried.

EXAMPLES Substances Used

Lorol spezial:

-   -   C_(12/14) fatty alcohol mixture (Cognis Deutschland GmbH)

Epicol G 24:

-   -   1,2-epoxy-C_(12/14)-alkane mixture (67% C₁₂ and 33% C₁₄) (Cognis        Deutschland GmbH)

C_(12/14)(30EO)sulfate:

-   -   sodium salt of a sulfation product of an adduct of 30 mol        ethylene oxide and 1 mol Lorol spezial

Preparation of the Compounds and Tests Example 1

135 g of a C_(12/14) fatty alcohol mixture were mixed with 85 g of anaddition product of 1 mol ethylene glycol onto 1 mol of a1,2-epoxy-C_(12/14)-alkane mixture (67% C₁₂ and 33% C₁₄). 550 g ethyleneoxide were added to the resulting mixture which was then heated for 150minutes at 180° C. in the presence of 1 g of the catalyst Na methylate.

Comparison Example 1

a) 440 g ethylene oxide were added to 195 g of a C_(12/14) fatty alcoholmixture and the whole was heated for 150 minutes at 180° C. in thepresence of 1 g of the catalyst Na methylate.

b) 440 g ethylene oxide were added to 290 g of an addition product of 1mol ethylene glycol onto 1 mol of a 1,2-epoxy-C_(12/14)-alkane mixture(67% C₁₂ and 33% C₁₄) and the whole was heated for 150 minutes at 180°C. in the presence of 1 g of the catalyst Na methylate.

-   -   c) The products obtained in a) and b) were mixed together.

Example 2

135 g of a C_(12/14) fatty alcohol mixture were mixed with 85 g of anaddition product of 1 mol ethylene glycol onto 1 mol of a1,2-epoxy-C_(12/14)-alkane mixture (67% C₁₂ and 33% C₁₄). 1650 gethylene oxide were added to the resulting mixture which was then heatedfor 150 minutes at 180° C. in the presence of 1.5 g of the catalyst Namethylate.

Comparison Example 2

a) 550 g ethylene oxide were added to 80 g of a C_(12/14) fatty alcoholmixture and the whole was heated for 150 minutes at 180° C. in thepresence of 1 g of the catalyst Na methylate.

-   -   b) 440 g ethylene oxide were added to 290 g of an addition        product of 1 mol ethylene glycol onto 1 mol of a        1,2-epoxy-C_(12/14)-alkane mixture (67% C₁₂ and 33% C₁₄) and the        whole was heated for 150 minutes at 180° C. in the presence of 1        g of the catalyst Na methylate.    -   c) The products obtained in a) and b) were mixed together.

Example 3

135 g of a C_(12/14) fatty alcohol mixture were mixed with 85 g of anaddition product of 1 mol ethylene glycol onto 1 mol of a1,2-epoxy-C_(12/14)-alkane mixture (67% C₁₂ and 33% C₁₄). 2195 gethylene oxide were added to the resulting mixture which was then heatedfor 150 minutes at 180° C. in the presence of 2 g of the catalyst Namethylate.

Comparison Example 3

a) 568 g ethylene oxide were added to 62 g of a C_(12/14) fatty alcoholmixture and the whole was heated for 150 minutes at 180° C. in thepresence of 1 g of the catalyst Na methylate.

b) 440 g ethylene oxide were added to 290 g of an addition product of 1mol ethylene glycol onto 1 mol of a 1,2-epoxy-C_(12/14)-alkane mixture(67% C₁₂ and 33% C₁₄) and the whole was heated for 150 minutes at 180°C. in the presence of 1 g of the catalyst Na methylate.

c) The products obtained in a) and b) were mixed together.

Biological degradability

The products of Example 1 and Comparison Example 1c) were tested fortheir biodegradability. The product of Example 1 according to theinvention was rated as “readily biodegradable” in the OECD screeningtest whereas the product of Comparison Example 1c) was only rated as“well biodegradable”.

Production of Aqueous Concentrates

The composition of Examples 1 and 2 according to the invention couldreadily be made up into liquid and pourable surfactant concentrates inwater at 20° C. Liquid and pourable concentrates containing 50 to 90% byweight of the composition of Examples 1 and 2 could be prepared withoutany problems.

Performance Tests Coagulation

Coagulation was tested as follows for the composition of Examples 1 and2:

140.0 g ethyl acrylate, 140.0 g methyl methacrylate, 52.5 g butylacrylate and acrylic acid were used as monomers. First, 10% by weight ofthe particular monomers was emulsified in ca. 600 g deionized water and,after the addition of 2.0 g sodium lauryl sulfate and 2.0 g potassiumperoxodisulfate, the emulsion was heated to 80° C. After the beginningof polymerization, 10 g of the composition of Example 1 (alternatively:Example 2) and the remaining 90% of the monomers were added to themixture. After a reaction time of ca. 2.5 hours, the polymer dispersionwas cooled and filtered through an 80 μm mesh filter. The amount ofsolid remaining in the filter, the coagulate content, was determined in% by weight solids, based on the solids content of the polymerdispersion. Both where the composition of Example 1 was used and wherethe composition of Example 2 was used, the coagulate content was below0.5%. This means that the readily biodegradable compositions accordingto the invention are eminently suitable as emulsifiers for emulsionpolymerization, i.e. the ready degradability has no adverse effect onperformance properties.

Stability in Storage

Stability in storage was tested as follows:

First, a styrene/acrylate latex was prepared using the followingmonomers: styrene, butyl acrylate, acrylic acid and acrylamide in aratio by weight of 48.3:48.3:2.3:1.1. The aqueous polymer dispersion wasprepared as follows:

241.5 g styrene, 241.5 g butyl acrylate, 11.5 g acrylic acid and 5.5 gacrylamide were used as monomers. The monomers were pre-emulsified with225 g deionized water, 4.3 g C₁₂(30EO) sulfate and 1.2 g nonionicemulsifier of Example 2 (or Comparison Example 2c). 10% by volume ofthis pre-emulsion were introduced into a reactor containing 174 gdeionized water, 3.9 g C₁₂(30EO) sulfate, 0.35 g nonionic emulsifier ofExample 2 (or Comparison Example 2c) and potassium peroxodisulfate.After heating to 90° C., the polymerization reaction was started. Theremaining 90% by volume of the pre-emulsion and the initiator solutionconsisting of 72.8 g of deionized water and 2.2 g potassiumperoxodisulfate were continuously added over a period of 3 hours. Afteranother hour's reaction, the mixture was cooled and, afterneutralization with 25% ammonia, was filtered.

Stability in storage was evaluated after storage for 4 weeks at 50° C. Apolymer dispersion rates as stable if it is free from coagulation,sedimentation and inhomogeneity after the storage period. Evaluation wasvisual.

The polymer dispersion prepared using the nonionic emulsifier of Exampleshowed none of the instabilities mentioned after storage for 4 weeks at50° C. By contrast, the latex prepared using the nonionic emulsifier ofComparison Example 2c) was not sufficiently stable and had coagulated.

Freeze/Thaw Stability

Besides the storage properties of the described styrene/acrylate latex,the polymer dispersions were also tested for their freeze/thaw behavior.Freeze/thaw stability was determined as described above, i.e. by themethod known from ISO 1147, except that the freezing phases of thecycles were carried out at −25° C. (and not at −10° C.). The polymerdispersion prepared using the nonionic emulsifier of Example 2 was foundto be stable at −25° C. By contrast, the styrene/acrylate latex preparedusing the nonionic emulsifier of Comparison Example 2c) was found to beunstable at −25° C.

Water Resistance

The water resistance of polymer films produced from the latices wastested as follows:

To prepare the polymer films to be tested, a 100 μm thick wet film(12×75 mm) was applied by coating knife to a glass specimen holder. Todry the wet films, the test specimens were dried for 72 hours at roomtemperature (23° C.) on a horizontally levelled surface. After drying,the test specimens were stored in tap water for up to 48 hours. Forevaluation, the polymer films were visually examined for changes.Evaluation was carried out on a scale of 0 to 5, where

-   -   0=clear film, unchanged,    -   5=white film,    -   and revealed no differences between polymer films prepared from        latices based on the nonionic emulsifiers of Example 2 and        Comparison Example 2c. After the storage period, both films were        given a score of 2 (=slightly cloudy film).

Electrolyte Stability

Electrolyte stability was tested as follows:

First, a vinyl acetate/acrylate latex was prepared using the followingmonomers: vinyl acetate, vinyl versatate, butyl acrylate and acrylicacid in a ratio by weight of 69.7:19.9:9.9:0.5. The aqueous polymerdispersion was prepared as follows:

1.0 g dodecyl benzenesulfonate, Na salt (25% aqueous solution) and 0.5 gpotassium peroxodisulfate were dissolved in 219.0 g deionized water. Theresulting solution was introduced into the reactor and heated to 65° C.2.5% by volume of a pre-emulsion consisting of 203.5 g deionized water,18.9 g dodecyl benzenesulfonate, Na salt (25% aqueous solution), 0.5 gpotassium carbonate, 350.0 g vinyl acetate, 100.0 g vinyl versatate,50.0 g butyl acrylate, 2.5 g acrylic acid and 10.0 g nonionic emulsifierof Example 2 or Example 3 were added at that temperature. After thepolymerization reaction had started, the remaining pre-emulsion (97.5%by volume) was continuously added together with an initiator solutionconsisting of 60.0 g deionized water and 0.5 g potassium peroxodisulfateover a period of 3 hours starting from a reaction temperature of 80° C.The initiator solution was added at such a rate that it took about 15minutes longer to add than the pre-emulsion. After anotherpost-polymerization time of 2 hours, the mixture was cooled to atemperature below 30° C., filtered and adjusted to a pH of 7-8 byaddition of 7% sodium hydroxide.

The vinyl acetate copolymer dispersions thus prepared were tested forelectrolyte stability. To this end, 10 ml of the particular aluminiumsulfate solution were added to 10 ml of the polymer dispersion to betested. The method—already described in the foregoing—is based on theprinciple that inorganic salts containing trivalent cations behavedistinctly more critically than divalent cations. If no coagulationoccurs in the electrolyte stability test, the test counts as passed.

Vinyl acetate copolymer dispersions prepared with the nonionicemulsifiers of Example 2 and Example 3 did not coagulate on the additionof aqueous 1 and 10% aluminium sulfate solutions. The dispersionprepared with the nonionic emulsifier of Comparison Example 2 did notmeet this requirement.

Blocking Resistance

The blocking resistance of polymer films prepared from the latices wasdetermined by the following method:

Using a coating knife, a 200 μm thick, bubble-free wet film was drawnonto a PVC film. The films were dried in air for 48 hours so that aplastic-coated PVC film was obtained. To test blocking resistance, apiece of filter paper cut in a 36×36 mm square (Schleicher & Schuellfilter paper, Ref. No. 10312209 or 300009) was placed between twocorrespondingly large plastic-coated PVC films (36×36 mm) so that thecoatings were in contact with the filter paper. This arrangement wassubjected to a load of 38 mN/mm² for 1 minute. Before the test, thefilter paper, the metal weight and the polymer film were heated in anoven for 30 minutes at 50° C. After the contact time of 1 minute, thefilter paper was removed from the polymer film and the filter residuesremaining on the polymer film were determined as the contaminated areain %, i.e. the percentage surface area of the plastic-coated PVC filmwhich was covered by residues of paper filter was determined.

The polymer films based on the described vinyl acetate/acrylatedispersion prepared with the nonionic emulsifiers of Examples 2 and 3produced very little contamination. Where the nonionic emulsifier ofExample 2 was used, the contaminated surface area was only 0.4%; wherethe nonionic emulsifier of Example 3 was used, it was only 0.2%.However, where the nonionic emulsifiers of Comparison Examples 2 and 3were used, surface contamination was considerably greater at 4.8% and1.2%, respectively.

1-8. (canceled)
 9. A process for making a biodegradable compositioncomprising: (a) providing from about 20 to 80% by weight of C₈₋₂₂ fattyalcohol; (b) providing from about 20 to 80% by weight of a ring openingproduct of a C₈₋₁₈ 1,2-epoxyalkane with ethylene glycol; (c) combining(a) and (b) to form a reaction mixture; and (d) reacting the reactionmixture with ethylene oxide, with the proviso that the ethylene oxide isused in an amount of from about 5 to 100 mol ethylene oxide per mol offree OH groups present in the reaction mixture.
 10. A surfactantcomposition comprising from about 50 to 90% by weight of the product ofthe process of claim 9 and remainder, to 100%, water.
 11. Thecomposition of claim 10 wherein the composition is liquid and pourableat 20° C.
 12. The composition of claim 10 wherein the composition has aHoppler viscosity of from about 0.1 to 3 Pas.
 13. A process for makingan aqueous latice comprising providing an aqueous emulsion containing apolymer and/or copolymer and the surfactant composition of claim 10, andpolymerizing the polymer and/or copolymer to form the aqueous latice.14. The process of claim 13 wherein the surfactant composition of claim10 is present in the aqueous emulsion in an amount of from about 0.5 to10% by weight, based on the weight of the aqueous emulsion.
 15. Theprocess of claim 13 wherein the surfactant composition of claim 10 ispresent in the aqueous emulsion in an amount of from about 1 to 5% byweight, based on the weight of the aqueous emulsion.
 16. The process ofclaim 13 wherein the surfactant composition of claim 10 is present inthe aqueous emulsion in an amount of from about 1 to 3% by weight, basedon the weight of the aqueous emulsion.
 17. The process of claim 13wherein the aqueous latice has enhanced electrolyte stability.
 18. Theprocess of claim 13 wherein plastic films formed from the aqueous laticehave enhanced blocking resistance.
 19. The product of the process ofclaim 9.